Touched - Seduced. Advertising campaigns that made history

There are advertisements that simply stick in the memory. Whether through a song used in the spot, a catchy slogan or a particularly original implementation. But why is that? Why do some advertising campaigns stick in the collective memory for decades, while others are immediately forgotten? This is the question the Museum für Kommunikation is exploring in its current exhibition "Berührt - Verführt. Advertising Campaigns That Made History. The exhibition features 350 objects, 80 commercials, 65 posters and 140 advertisements from 70 years of advertising. These exhibits are arranged in a chronological tour, which is supplemented by thematic units and interactive stations. The campaigns on display were selected according to specific criteria. Their popularity was the main focus. But triggering a certain nostalgic effect in the viewer also played a key role. And finally, the advertising should also have struck a chord with the times, so that the exhibition can also trace the history of the mentality of the Federal Republic. And it succeeds very well. It is interesting to see how advertising messages have changed over the years, as have the means used to advertise. While billboard advertising was the focus in the beginning, it later shifted to television and radio until the internet emerged as the main advertising platform. In the meantime, advertising is becoming increasingly individualized, and smart phones and other mobile devices are playing an important role. But even if the time of big poster campaigns might be over, outstanding advertising campaigns will always play an important role in the future. In the exhibition, visitors can not only reminisce about many very special advertisements in nostalgia, but also recognize the different factors that are necessary for certain campaigns to stick in the memory. In addition, visitors can find out how they personally react to certain advertising messages. And in the campaign voting, every visitor can vote for his or her own favorite advertisement. (Text: Sebastian Betzold, excerpt)